Garment belt foundation kit and belts made therefrom



L. R. CUTTLER `lune 7, 1960 GARMENT BELT FOUNDATION KIT AND BELTS MADE THEREFROM Filed March 12, 1959 INVENTOR. LEONARD R. CUTTLER @www FIG. 7

ATTORNEY nited States Patent GARWENT BELT FUNDATION KITA ANDBELTSV MADE THEREFROM Leonard R; Cuttier, Detroit, Mich.` (175129 Magnolia Parkway, Southfield, Mich.)

Filed Mar. 12, 1959, Ser. No. 799,017

6 Claims. (Cl. 2-322) This invention relates to a garment belt foundation kit and belts made therefrom, and more particularly to a kit having the basic materials from which a garment belt can be easily produced by thehousewife or nonprofessional seamstress.

This application is a continuation in .part of my earlier patent application for Garment Belts, Serial No. 627,- 167, filed December 10, 1956, now issued as Patent No. 2,884,647.

The invention involves the provision of a belt base strip and a finishing strip, each of which is formed from the same fabric material, being a relatively stiff woven textile coated on one side with a heat seal adhesive. The adhesive is one of the currently available polyvinyl thermopastic adhesives that softens at an elevated temperature (above room temperature) and solidifies or hardens on cooling, so that a rrn mechanical bond is made With fibrous textile materials. When the base strip is covered With a covering fabric, the uncoated side of the strip becomes the outer side, the covering fabric being folded over a portion of the coated side of the strip on each of the two side and two end edges, and there secured by ironing with a heated iron to the adhesive coated side. Thereafter, the finishing strip is laid upon the adhesive coated side of the base strip, overlying the raw edges of the covering fabric, and there secured by ironing to the covered base strip and covering fabric, to provide a garment belt base.

This belt base may be completed as a belt in a number of ways by the application of complementary snap fasteners to each end of the belt base, hook fasteners, buckles with or without a tongue and eyelets, buckles combined with snap or hook fasteners, or other kinds of fastening or belt securing devices. When such fasteners are embodied in the belt base, the belt is completed and ready for use. In this application, a belt is disclosed which embodies the belt base, as above, completed with a buckle and eyelets. The belt base is so formed as to provide a simple, novel and inventive construction for securing the covering fabric to the base strip at the buckle tongue so that a ragged edge is avoided.

It is an object of the invention to provide a garment belt foundation kit from Which a person can make a belt base that is subject to completion in a variety of manners. Another object is to provide belt base and finishing strips of fabric material, the strips being coated on one side with a heat seal adhesive. A further object is to provide such a belt base in which the base strip is designed to be covered with a covering fabric on one side, over each of the four edges, and over edge portions of the heat seal efe 2 adhesive .coated side,- the-nishing strip being. applied directly,` to the coated side -of thelbase strip and over the fabric edge portions.

These and additionall objectsz of the invention and features of construction willn become more apparent from the descriptiongiven below in which the terms employed areaused forpurposestof description and not of limitation.

Reference isnow made-'to the drawing annexed hereto, formingk an integralpart' of this specification and in which:

Fig, 1 is'a perspective view of the belt base and finishing strips forming the foundation or belt base materials.V

Fig. 2 is a sidev elevational vieW'of the eyelet or free end of a belt formed with the'base materials of Fig. l.

Fig. 3` is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially, on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig.` 4 is a plan view ofthe buckle end of the belt of which Figs. .1, 2 and 3 show parts.

Figs'. 5 andr'are yenlarged vertical sectional views on the lines 5-5 'and' 6-6 of Fig.l 4.

Fig.l 7 is a bottomA plan view-'of thebuckle/ end of the belt shown in Fig.'4.-

As shown particularly in Pig.- l, the belt base materials from which a garment beltcan befashioned consist of the base strip 10 and the finishing strip 12. The base strip 10 consists of a layer of relatively stiff material 14 coated on one side with a layer of heat seal adhesive '16, preferably but not exclusively from agroup of thermoplastic polyvinyl adhesives which are relatively solid at room temperatures and are fiowable or plastic at elevated temperatures. TheV finishing strip' 12 is similarly made of a layer of relatively stiff material 18 coated on one side with a layer of heat seal adhesive 20.

lt will be readily understood that anon-woven fabric or material may be used for either or both of the base strip 10 and finishing strip 12. There are many such materials available on the market, including stiff and relatively stiff paper, fibers bound by resinous materials into strips, plastic strips having a coarse thready outer finish, and laminations of cloth and paper. Each of these materials can betreated and coated on one side thereof with the heat seal adhesives referred to and described inthe specification above, so that such coated materials would be useable as equivalent substitutes for the coated Woven fabrics more specifically described herein.

These two strips, 10 and 12, comprise the essential elements formingV the belt base, to Which are added such fastening devices as may `be desired. To complete the belt base ready for fasteners, a covering fabric 22 is laid over and upon the uncoated side of base strip 10 and folded over each of its side edges 24, 24 as Well as the end edges 25, 26. The fabric 22 is cut so that edge portions 28 fold upon the coated adhesive layer. 16in- Wardly of the edges, as shownV more clearly in Fig.; 3; To secure the covering fabric 22 in place on the strip-10, a heated iron is pressed upon the fabric edges'ZSV heating the same and the adhesive layer 16 therebelow to a temperature at which the adhesive becomes plastic and enters into the fabric material. Upon :removing Vthe iron, the adhesive cools and solidifies, securing the fabricwcovering 22 at edge portions 28, 28 to the base strip 10.-`

Although a heat seal adhesive is here more specilically described as the coating layers 16 and 20 for strips i and 12, it must be understood that other types of adhesives can also be employed. For instance, a heat and pressure sensitive adhesive layer would provide a means for temporarily anchoring the covering fabric 22 to the base strip, to be heat sealed thereto for permanent securement following arrangement of the fabric 22 on the base strip in the desired manner. Or, a pressure sensitive adhesive may be used which would not require any heat sealing. Such adhesives are in development at the present time by adhesive producers.

As will be observed in the drawingthe covered base strip is shown vas having "a'central portion with the adhesivew'layerr16 exposedThis lis optionalgas the b'ase strip 10 may, beentirely covered on its adhesive side 16, ifV preferred 'In-eitherv case, the finishing strip 1 2 covers the raw edge portions '28 ofthe fabric 22 by placingY the adhesivelayer'20 of the stripdirectly upon the fabricedge portions'28 and'uponthe'base strip adhesive layer y16, as shown, and pressing the same together by the application of a heated iron, raising the adhesive layer 20 in the finishing strip 12 to plastic ytemperature and then removing the iron to permit theV against release when the tongue 32 is engaged with Vthe free end 42 of Ithe belt. The conventional belt is constructed, atthe buckle end 44, by notching an opening in the belt base adjacent the buckle end, passing Ythe tongue through the opening, folding the end of the belt base back upon itself and sewing, or otherwise securing, the end 44 in overlying relationshipY to the belt base, the finishing strip 12 being folded in back to back relationship. In this construction, the Afabric covering 22 overlying the uncoated side of the base material 14at the buckle tongue opening is usually ragged or frayed in appearance. This is due to the fact that the fabric covering 22 is not secured directly'to the :base material layer 14 on the outer side. To resolve this problem, the belt base of this invention can be constructed in a manner that secures the outer fabric 22 to the base strip 10 so that both the fabric .layer on the outer side of the base strip and the edge portions 28 on the adhesive side of the `base strip are secured directly to .the base strip. Thus, when an opening 48 for the buckle ltongue is made in the belt base, the fabric covering 22 is not frayed or ragged at such opening.

This is accomplished in the following manner. VReferring to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, it will be observed that the base strip 10 is folded back upon itself at the buckle end 44 of the belt base. Such foldback provides an adhesive layer 16 on both sides of the strip 10 at this point. Thus, when the covering fabric 22 overlies the buckle end of the base strip 10, it is secured to both the folded back portion 46, which is on the outer side of the strip, and

to the underside or adhesive layer side 16. 'Because the i adhesive securely anchors the covering fabric 22 to the strip by entering into the poresof the -fabric and solidifying about the fabric fibers, the edge of the tongue opening 48 is clean and sharp, not frayed nor ragged. The lfinishing strip 12 is then applied as Vin'the standard belt base construction, and the buckle end 44 of the belt baseis ready for attachment to the buckle 30. Tongue 32 is passed through opening 48 and .the buckle end 44 is folded backupon thejbelt base, so that the finishing strip 12 is-in direct touching contact with itself. The end 44 is then secured, in folded condition, by sewing at 50, rmly and positively anchoring the belt base to the buckle 30. f

Y, Y4 I 'Ihe belt shown in the drawing terminates at its free end 42 provided with :a series of spaced eyelets-52 passed through the belt base as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. VWhen the finished belt encircles the wearer, vthe buckle tongue 32 in the conventional manner secures or catches belt end 42 at one of the eyelets 52; l

A desirable feature of the belt base is to produce the finishing strip 12 with a narrower width than that of the base strip 10, so that when the finishing strip 12 is applied its side edges will not protrude or extend beyond the edges of the covering fabric so as to detract from the pleasing appearance of the outer belt surface.

Having described the invention in its simplest terms, it is to be understood that the features of construction may be changed and varied in greater or lesser degree without departing from the essence of the invention as dened in the appended claims.

l. In a garment belt made from a belt foundation kit, a -uniplanar inner coverable strip of relatively stijf fabric material coated on one of its sides from yedge to edge with a heat seal adhesive, Va covering ply of fabric of slightly greater length and width than said inner coverable strip having all of Ii-ts side and end edge portions -folded over and covering .all of the edges of -said uniplanar inner strip so as to leave exposed a central portion of the adhesivecoated side thereof intermediate .its side and end edges, and a separatefinishing strip of relatively stiff fabric material coated on one of its sidesy with a heat seal adhesive, saidV 4finishing strip overlying the infoldededges of said covering ply and the exposed portion of `said innerstrip, said strips and covering ply being conjoined Y by said adhesives.

, 2. In a garment :belt made froma belt foundation kit, a uniplanar inner coverable strip of ,relatively stiff fabric material coated on one of its sides with a heat sealy adhesive, said strip being folded back upon itselfV for a short distance at one end thereof Vso that the adhesive coated'side of the folded back portion is outwardly exposed, a covering ply of fabric having itsY edge portions folded over and covering all of the edges of said inner strip and fully covering said folded back portionso as to leave exposed a central portion of the principal adhesive coated side of saidstrip intermediate its'side and end edges, and a separate finishing stripof relatively stiff fabric material coated on one of its sides with a heat seal adhesive, said finis-hing strip overlying the infolded edges of said covering ply and the exposed portion of said inner strip, said strips and covering ply beingY conjoined by said adhesives, said infolded edges of said covering fabric and the portion thereof overlying said inner st-rip folded back portion vbeing firmly secured to said innerstrip adhesive coated side 3. The construction defined in claim 2, and in which said covered inner strip overlaid on `one side with said finishing strip comprises a belt base, a tonguetypebucklc secured to said belt base at the end thereof having said inner strip folded back portion, said belt base being provided with an opening therethrough adjacent said end securing said buckle, said buckle tongue passing through said opening, said latter portion being folded about the -tongue supporting center rib of said buckle on which Vsaid tongue pivots and xedly secured to itself, said covering fabric "being firmly secured to said inner strip on the outer' side thereof at said buckle tongue opening so asV to present a smooth appearance "free of ravelsat said opening, the opposite end of said belt base being provided with at least one eyelet reinforced opening therethrough to receive said Vbuckle tongue.

4. The structure defined in claim 1, and in which said finisln'ng strip is of slightly lesser length and width so that said side and end edge portions of said covering fabric turned in under and secured by said finishing strip are exposed about each edge of said belt.

In a garment belt made from a belt foundation kit,

IJ a uniplanar inner coverable strip of relatively sti fabric material coated on one of its sides from edge to edge with a heat seal adhesive, a covering ply of fabric of somewhat greater length and width than said inner coverable strip having all of its side and end edge portions folded over and covering all of the edges of said inner strip and the adhesive coated side thereof so that said fabric edges substantially abut each other, and a separate nishing strip of relatively stiff fabric material coated on one of its sides with a heat seal adhesive, said 10 finishing strip overlying the infolded edges of said covering ply of fabric, said strips and covering ply being conjoined by said adhesives.

6. The structure defined in claim 5, and in which said finishing strip is of slightly lesser length and width so that said side and end edge portions of said covering fabric turned in under and secured by said finishing strip are exposed about each edge of said belt.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 123,471 Flagg Feb. 6, 1872 594,201 Frothingham Nov. 23, 1897 600,331 Lanz Mar. 8, 1898 2,396,329 Lippmann Mar. 12, 1946 2,602,932 Eaton July 15, 1952 

